Reconsidering Sputnik: Forty Years Since the Soviet Satellite (Routledge Studies in the History of Science, Technology and Medicine)

This book explores Russia's stunning success of ushering in the space age by launching Sputnik and beating the United States into space. It also examines the formation of NASA, the race for human exploration of the moon, the reality of global satellite communications, and a new generation of scientific spacecraft that began exploring the universe. An introductory essay by Pulitzer Prize winner Walter A. McDougall sets the context for Sputnik and its significance at the end of the twentieth century. Contents List of Figures Preface and Acknowledgments • Roger D. Launius Introduction: Was Sputnik Really a Saltation? • Walter A. McDougall Part 1—Space Flight in the Soviet Union • Roger D. Launius 1. Rising from a Cradle: Soviet Public Perceptions of Space Flight before Sputnik • Peter A. Gorin 2. Korolev, Sputnik, and the International Geophysical Year • Asif A. Siddiqi 3. Korolev’s Triple Play: Sputniks 1, 2, and 3 • James J. Harford 4. Sputnik and the Creation of the Soviet Space Industry • William P. Barry Part 2—A Setting for the International Geophysical Year • Robert W. Smith 5. The Sputniks and the IGY • Rip Bulkeley 6. Cover Stories and Hidden Agendas: Early American Space and National Security Policy • Dwayne A. Day 7. Before Sputnik: National Security and the Formation of U.S. Outer Space Policy • Kenneth A. Osgood 8. Orbiter, Overflight, and the First Satellite: New Light on the Vanguard Decision • Michael J. Neufeld Part 3—Ramifications and Reactions • John M. Logsdon 9. The First Earth Satellite: A Retrospective View from the Future • Sergey Khrushchev 10. Building a Third Space Power: Western European Reactions to Sputnik at the Dawn of the Space Age • John Krige 11. Organizing the U.S. Government for Outer Space, 1957–1958 • Eilene Galloway 12. A Certain Future: Sputnik, American Higher Education, and the Survival of a Nation • John A. Douglass 13. Sputnik: A Political Symbol & Tool in 1960 Campaign Politics • Gretchen, J. Van Dyke Epilogue: Sputnik and Technological Surprise • Glenn P. Hastedt List of Contributors Index Introduction. Was Sputnik really a saltation? / Walter A. McDougall Space flight in the Soviet Union / Roger D. Launius Rising from the cradle : Soviet perceptions of space flight before Sputnik / Peter A. Gorin Korolev, Sputnik, and the International Geophysical Year / Asif A. Siddiqi Korolev's triple play : Sputniks 1, 2 and 3 / James J. Harford Sputnik and the creation of the Soviet space industry / William P. Barry A setting for the International Geophysical Year / Robert W. Smith The Sputniks and the IGY / Rip Bulkeley Cover stories and hidden agendas : early American space and national security policy / Dwayne A. Day Before Sputnik : national security and the formation of U.S. outer space policy / Kenneth A. Osgood Orbiter, overflight, and the first satellite : new light on the Vanguard decision / Michael J. Neufeld Ramifications and reactions / John M. Logsdon The first Earth satellite : a retrospective view from the future / Sergey Khrushchev Building a third space power : Western European reactions to Sputnik at the dawn of the space age / John Krige Organizing the United States government for outer space, 1957-1958 / Eilene Galloway A certain future : Sputnik, American higher education, and the survival of a nation / John A. Douglass Sputnik : a political symbol and tool in 1960 campaign politics / Gretchen J. Van Dyke Epilogue. Sputnik and technological surprise / Glenn P. Hastedt. With the launch of Sputnik on October 4, 1957, a scrambling for explanations ensued about how the Soviets had suddenly bested the United States, arguably the most technically advanced civilization the world had ever known. Edited By Roger D. Launius, John M. Logsdon And Robert W. Smith.